Bathing appliance



H. K. FJELSTAD BATHING APPLIANCE Sept; 25, 1962 Filed June 4, 1959 INVENTOR. filo/v04. A1 FZ/usmz BY M on) Arraxw .vs

MN N HM um United States Patent 3,055,037 BATHING APPLIANCE Harold K. Fjelstad, 6616 4th Ave. S., Minneapolis, Minn. Filed June 4, 1959, Ser. No. 818,044 1 Claim. (Cl. 15-210) This invention relates to a bracket adapted for installation, particularly in a shower stall, to hold a wash cloth thereon in taut condition whereby it may be well soaped and the operator may rub his back thereagainst to scrub the same. A back brush is commonly used for this purpose. It is inconvenient for a person to reach a substantial portion of the area of his back for scrubbing the same and particularly the central area just below the shoulder blade level. Some means for scrubbing the same more convenient than the use of a brush is desirable.

It is an object of this invention therefore to provide a bracket adapted for installation in a shower stall and constructed to support thereon a wash cloth which may be well soaped and against which a persons back may be rubbed for scrubbing purposes.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a bracket mountable on the wall of a shower stall having a face portion having a slight radial convex curvature to comfortably fit into the curvature of a persons back and adapted to support thereon a wash cloth against which said back may be rubbed for scrubbing purposes.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a bracket adapted to be mounted on the wall surface of a shower stall, said bracket having a face portion having a rounded edge portion thereabout, said edge portion extending rearwardly of said face portion in a somewhat shallow concave curvature to undercut said face portion and extend outwardly rearwardly therefrom to form a base portion terminating a single plane, said base portion having a chamber formed therein, a cross-angled web in said chamber having its outer surface in the same plane as said base portion, and a wash cloth adapted to be removably secured about said face portion.

The structure set forth in the preceding object, a plurality of fastening means, such as hooks, integral with said face portion spaced thereabout adapted to removably engage said wash cloth extended over said face portion.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

FIG. 1 is a broken view in perspective showing applicants device on a reduced scale in operating position;

FIG. 2 is a view in vertical section on an enlarged scale taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1, as indicated by the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of applicants device;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of applicants device having a portion thereof broken away and having a portion thereof shown in dotted line; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view of applicants device on an enlarged scale showing a modification of a portion thereof.

Referring to the drawings, like reference characters are used throughout the several views to indicate identical parts. With reference to FIGS. 1-4, a bracket structure is shown. This bracket structure may take various specific forms in being adapted for the purpose to be indicated. In the embodiment of the invention here disclosed, said bracket structure 10 comprises a face portion 11 having a slight radial convex curvature whereby the surface thereof will very nicely and comfortably fit into or up against a persons back, and particularly in the area just below the shoulder blade level. Said face portion 11 has formed thereabout a rounded edge portion 12 "ice which is shown to have a substantial and well rounded curvature in vertical section whereby said edge portion will be comfortable for a person to rub a back portion thereagainst.

Said edge portion 112 in the embodiment of the invention here shown extends away from said face portion 1-1 to form a concave wall portion 13. Said wall portion 13 in the embodiment of the invention here disclosed is curved to undercut said face portion 11 and to extend rearwardly and outwardly of said face portion in a relatively wide curve which terminates in a. base portion 15 formed as a rim or edge portion lying in a common plane. Said base portion 15 will be formed of a thickness whereby it may be mounted and recessed in a tile wall to be flush with the adjacent tile surface, or desired it may be surface mounted. With reference to FIG. 2 it is indicated as being recessed in a wall surface to be flush with the adjacent tile surface.

Formed within said bracket r10 is a chamber 17, and disposed within said chamber is a cross-angled web 18 formed to be integral with said bracket and having its outer edge surface in the plane of said base portion 15. Said web and base portion 15 form contact surfaces for the purpose of mounting and securing said bracket in operating position.

Adapted to be used in connection with said bracket 10 is a soap retaining member 20 here indicated as being in the form of a commonly used wash cloth having an elasticized edge portion 21 thereabout whereby said member 20 may be easily removably positioned about said face portion 11.

Applicants bracket 10 may be suitably sized to cover an area of any desired number of tile squares, which squares generally have uniform dimension. Said bracket is most suitably installed, as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2, by being inserted in a tiled wall 22, such as of a shower stall 23. In FIG. 1 applicants bracket is shown as being of a size to replace nine of the tile in said wall 22. Said bracket will be installed at a height suitable for its intended purpose. The wash cloth 20 is easily removed for the purpose of being dampened and soaped. The radial convex curvature of said face portion permits a comfortable mating of said face portion with the curvatune of the back of any person making use of the same. Any desirable specific curvature is included within the inventive concept here disclosed. Said bracket may be formed of various materials suitable for its intended purpose, such -as of a ceramic or plastic material.

Referring to FIG. 4, a modification of applicants bracket is shown in which all parts are identical as those above described with the exception of the edge portion here indicated as 12 which is formed to have integral therewith and spaced thereabout a plurality of hooks 12a whereby a wash cloth 25 may be easily removably secured about said face portion 11 by being disposed over said hooks without the need of having an elasticized edge portion thereabout. Thus any available wash cloth may readily be used with applicants bracket in its modified form.

Thus it is seen that I have provided a very practical and simply constructed bracket for supporting a wash cloth, as in a shower stall, for the purpose of scrubbing ones back thereagainst. Applicant provides great utility and real convenience through the use of his bracket.

It will of course be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts, without departing from the scope of applicants invention, which, generally stated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth, in the parts and combinations of parts disclosed and defined in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A shower stall wall bracket comprising a unitary memher having an imperforate face portion having a radially extending curvature, an edge portion about said face portion having a substantial curvature in vertical section extending inwardly to undercut said face portion and extending outwardly in a concave curvature to form a base edge portion in a common plane, a plurality of hook members integral with said face edge portion and extending in a direction away from said face portion, a wash cloth removably disposed over said face portion engaging said hook members, and means for securing said bracket to said wall at a suitable point thereon.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Cox June 22, 1897 Richards July 16, 1918 Goddard Feb. 5, 1935 Griner Apr. 14, 1959 Nelson W Sept. 1, 1959 

